Foodwishes: "Cook with a Fearless Joy"

Looking for some real homemade cooking that has culinary grad written on it but is simple enough to actually do? Foodwishes is the answer you have been searching for.

Chef John is making a well-known name for himself on the Internet with his website and YouTube channel, “Foodwishes”, which has over 43,000 subscribers. He makes videos to show you how to create classic favorites like sloppy joes, smothered pork chops and barbecue chicken. He even has some fancier dishes for those special occasions, or when you are feeling a little daring, such as truffle mushroom, potato gratin or chili chocolate cookie recipe, mmm. I asked Chef John if I could do a short interview with him, and it went a little something like this…

What inspired you to start cooking?

Can’t really think of what inspired me to start cooking, since I can’t remember ever not cooking. As far as professional cooking goes, I started as a dishwasher, and when I saw how much more fun the cooks were having, I decided to make the jump. This was also a smart move for the restaurant, since I used to just throw away the small pans that had food burned onto them.

What culinary school did you attend and what did you study?

I went to Paul Smith College and was enrolled in the Chef Training culinary program. That was back in 1983. Those were simpler times. There was no Twitter or Google, and our laptops were nothing more than sheets of plain paper bound together with wire.

What made you start your own blog and your own YouTube channel?

After 5 years at the California Culinary Academy, I just wanted to do something else, and while I was figuring out what that was, I started playing around with making and uploading video recipes. I was amazed at how much people loved the bad puns and poor video quality, and it took off from there.

What’s your favorite recipe of all time?

My favorite recipe is my tuna noodle casserole recipe. It’s a perfect recipe.

What advice would you give to aspiring chefs and foodies?

I would tell them not to set any goals; that just leads to disappointment and possibly hair loss. Stay in the moment. Buy a set of really good forged knifes which will last their entire careers. Travel if you can. Trust skinny chefs also. Don’t use margarine. And most importantly of all, cook with a fearless joy; remember, a hollandaise can sense fear.

Check out this talented chef, and while you are being entertained you might actually become a pretty good cook in the process.